Chefs on the Auction Block

Bid on Austin's hottest chefs at the Edible Austin Third Annual Chef Auction

Have you fantasized about getting a table at such revered Austin restaurants as Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Barley Swine or qui without waiting in line? Well, the Edible Austin Chef Auction 2013, taking place Thursday, November 21, at The Allan House, could be your chance.

For the third year in a row, the Edible Austin team has selected a group of Austin’s hottest chefs based on “their deep appreciation of cooking with seasonal and locally sourced foods and for their 'wow' factors,” says the magazine’s publisher, Marla Camp.

Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on custom dining packages by Paul Qui, Bryce Gilmore, David Bull, Josh Watkins, Tink Pinkard, Brian Malarkey, Monica Pope, Mat Clouser and Callie Speer, and Tatsu Aikawa and Tako Matsumoto.

The magazine conceived of the idea of a chef auction “to offer something exclusive and uniquely ‘edible’ to an audience we wanted to engage to support our local community food nonprofits during the holiday season,” explains Camp. The event’s beneficiaries include the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) and Urban Roots, selected because they “are in line with Edible Austin's mission to raise awareness of and celebrate local food and food culture in Central Texas as we change the ways people relate to their food." Last year, the auction raised more than $30,000 for these nonprofits.

Bryce Gilmore, known for using local ingredients at Barley Swine, is just one of the chefs looking forward to supporting a cause he believes in, adding “we’ve always been big supporters of Urban Roots and SFC, among other like-minded charities.”

Chef Josh Watkins of The Carillon is also participating as a way to give back to the food community. “Edible Austin is phenomenal to work with,” he says, “and we’re auctioning off a unique private dinner package that showcases local-inspired cuisine."

Callie Speer, pastry chef at Swift's Attic, is thrilled that she and executive chef Mat Clouser can benefit the community while also "creating new dishes that aren’t in the restaurant and giving our guests a one-of-a-kind experience," she says.

Those interested in a quick getaway can bid on a dream foodie weekend in Houston, which includes dinner for four at Sparrow Bar + Cookshop on a Friday night, followed by a Saturday morning visit to the Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Eastside with chef Monica Pope, and then a cooking class and lunch. There are even options for those looking for a more convivial atmosphere instead of fine dining, such as a pig roast by Tink Pinkard for up to 30 people that includes sides like baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw, brioche buns and special roast barbecue sauce.

The evening begins at 6 pm with a cocktail hour and tastings from local chefs and artisans including Spoon & Co, confituras, Celtic Seafare, Pâté Letelier, Dos Lunas Artisan Cheeses and Princess & Mooses’s Sister Bakery. Beverages will be provided by Paula’s Texas Spirits, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and the Treaty Oak Bar, featuring spirit punches served up by guest bartender Bill Norris of Midnight Cowboy.

Details about all of the dining packages up for auction are available at the event's website. Tickets are $55 and available for prepurchase on the website or at the door.

Bryce Gilmore of Barley Swine

Photo by Mel Cole

Bryce Gilmore of Barley Swine

unspecified

New Year, Same City

Ring in 2025 at these 13 Austin-area events

Photo from austintexas.org.

The City of Austin's annual New Year's Eve fireworks display and party at Auditorium Shores.

Somehow it's already almost 2025. The question on everyone's lips seems to be, "What are you doing for New Year's?" Many Austinites who can't fathom this holiday until the stress and excitement of Christmas are over still have December 31 plans up in the air.

Don't worry; we've gathered a variety of New Year's Eve options ripe for the picking, including dinners, parties, and even some more peaceful, family-friendly events.

Dinners

North Italia Three-Course Dinner
11506 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 124; or 500 W 2nd St. #120
On New Year's Eve, North Italia is offering a three-course prix fixe dinner, including a starter, a main, and a dessert of the guest's choosing. Some highlights of this menu include burrata di stagione with red wine poached pear, Sicilian pistachio crumble, and grilled ciabatta; braised short rib marsala; and the new Holiday Panettone Butter Cake. Reservations are required and can be made at northitalia.com.

BOA Steakhouse Dinner Party
300 West 6th St.
BOA Steakhouse is closing out 2024 with a DJ playing this year's hits, party favors, and two dinner seatings. Guests can dine between 5 and 6:30 pm ($150 per person), or from 7 pm until close ($195 per person). Both options include a prix fixe four-course menu featuring multiple options per course. Some standouts include grilled lamb lollipops with Moroccan couscous; butternut squash risotto with cranberries, pecans, and aged parmesan cheese; and a lemon tart with Swiss meringue. Guests who dine later in the evening will receive a complimentary midnight champagne toast. Reservations are required.

Grilled lamb lollipops with Moroccan couscous from BOA Steakhouse.Photo courtesy of BOA Steakhouse

Sushi Roku
405 Colorado St., Ste. 100
Sushi Roku will be offering its usual à la carte menu as well as an Izakaya Feast ($150 per person), including 10 items like Brussels sprout chips with truffle oil and sea salt; crispy rice with tuna hanabi; A-5 Japanese Wagyu ishiyaki; and a cheesecake and ice cream domed with cotton candy for dessert. Optionally, guests can order the seafood tower, featuring five different types of seafood for $125 per person. Reservations are available from 5-10 pm.

Grand Buffet and Glow Party at Kalahari Resort

3001 Kalahari Blvd., Round Rock
This year, Kalahari Resort is ringing in the new year with a buffet and "glow party." The buffet will feature classic holiday dishes, plus a variety of desserts and drinks for $95 per adult, $40 per child from ages 3-10, and free for kids under 3. After dinner, from 8 pm to 1 am, a DJ dance party will take over, complete with glow sticks, complimentary hats and horns, and a midnight countdown and balloon drop. The glow party is free for resort and dinner guests.

Parties

Charley Crockett & Balloon Drop at ACL Live at the Moody Theater
310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd.
Starting at 9 pm on December 31, ACL Live at the Moody Theater will host a special New Year's Eve celebration with live music from Charley Crockett, complete with a midnight countdown, champagne toast, and balloon drop. Charley Crockett's music is a mix of country, blues, soul, Cajun, and R&B, and he's been hailed as a "must-see live performer" by Rolling Stone. Tickets range from $79-149 are available at acllive.com.

"What Happens in Vegas" Party at Eberly
615 South Lamar Blvd.
This New Year’s Eve from 9 pm to 2 am, Eberly is pulling out all the stops to bring the glitz, glamour, and excitement of Sin City to Austin with the “What Happens in Vegas” New Year's Eve Party. Guests are encouraged to channel their inner Vegas by dressing the part (think wedding dresses or flashy suits). This party will have a little something for everyone: casino tables, a dance floor with DJ Gatsby, a "Chapel of Love" on the rooftop presided over by Elvis, of course; and at midnight, a champagne toast to ring in the new year. Tickets are $105 per person.

Gatsby New Year's Eve Party at Brazos Hall
204 E.4th St.
Guests can step into the allure of the Roaring Twenties at this Gatsby-inspired party by One Tap Photo. The evening will include a live band, a DJ and dance floor, casino games, door prizes, and a midnight champagne toast. The best-dressed flapper or dapper gent will even take home a prize for the evening's most striking ensemble. Tickets range from $125-300.

New Year's Eve with Pat Green at Gruene Hall
1281 Gruene Rd., New Braunfels
Ring in the New Year with Pat Green and special guest Walt Wilkins at the historic Gruene Hall in New Braunfels. There are two shows: one at 5 pm and one at 9 pm. The later show will include a midnight countdown and complementary champagne toast. Tickets are $95 for either show and can be purchased at guenehall.com.

The historic Gruene Hall exterior Pat Green plays two shows at the historic Gruene Hall for New Year's. gruenehall.com

New Year's Eve Pub Crawl
Starts at Little Woodrow's, 520 W. 6th St.
If staying in one place all night doesn't sound ideal, Nasstive Entertainment has a solution: a pub crawl. Participants will meet at Little Woodrow's from 8-10 pm and venture out to more than 10 other venues throughout the night. Tickets start at $30 and include free entry to all venues, drink discount coupons, and free welcome shots at various venues.

JW Marriott Austin's New Year's Eve Soiree
110 E. 2nd St.
From 8 pm until 1 am, the JW Marriott will be filled with "dancing, laughter, and good vibes," according to the event page for this fancy hotel bash. The party will take place in the lobby bar and rooftop and will include music, cocktails, champagne, caviar, and a more upscale, cocktail vibe. Tickets are $125 and up. Organizers remind attendees that the JW Marriott's view of the fireworks is obstructed.

Chill Vibes

New Year's Eve Hike and Strings in the Woods
1601 Spyglass Dr.
Austinites looking for a peaceful way to ring in 2025 on New Year's Eve Day can join "Strings in the Woods," a private hike with live music by award-winning violinist and film composer Will Taylor. Taylor will guide the group on an hour-long hike while playing his violin. He'll also throw in a dash of meditation, history, geology, and plant identification for an afternoon that sounds incredibly peaceful. Guests are advised to wear hiking shoes and bring a towel and yoga mat. The hike is free and goes from 3:30-4:30 pm.

New Year’s Eve Meditation Service
1820 Garden St.
From 11:30 pm to 12:15 Aam, the Austin Meditation Group will be holding a special, late-night New Year's Eve meditation service. This donation-based event is open to the public and could be a great way to mindfully enter a new year.

Austin's New Year at Auditorium Shores
900 West Riverside Drive
Austin has been celebrating New Year's Eve at Auditorium Shores since 2010 with live music by 90s heroes Third Eye Blind, good food, and of course, the city's big fireworks display over the lake. This is a great option for families or folks looking for a free and casual event. The celebration will start at 7 pm and last until just after the big countdown and 2025 fireworks display at midnight. There are no tickets to this event; just show up! (And probably take a ride share, because parking will be crazy.)

parties live music dinner concerts holidays new year's eve